Awards season may be a few months away but I thought I’d get a jump on the crowd and so, without further ado, I present the reason there’s been no blog for a while, the reason my internet usage has trebled over the last few days (research!) and the reason I will be running a post a day for the next week – yes it’s the first annual ‘Motorsport – Believe The Spin PR Awards’ or the ‘Revvies’ as I think I may coin them =)
The awards are all based on my personal opinion and the input of the kind souls who DM’d my Twitter account and there are 14 catergories – best use of social media, best website, best viral campaign, best crisis management, best sponsorship deal, future media star, funniest story, most marketable star, best commentary, best sponsor, best interviewee, personality of the year, team of the year and outstanding achievement to motorsport. I hope you enjoy but please, please feel free to comment either way!
And so if everyone is sitting comfortably I present the first two awards – Best Commentary & Best Sponsor.
BEST COMMENTARY
This was a surprisingly close contest, the boys at NASCAR have made vast improvements and I always enjoy listening to BTCC coverage as did many of you judging from the messages but, for me, there is one team that have stood out above all others – Holly Samos, David Croft, Anthony Davidson, Jonathan Legard, Lee McKenzie, Ted Kravitz, Andrew Benson, Martin Brundle, Eddie Jordan, David Coulthard & Jake Humphrey step forward and claim your prize (ok that’s a bluff I have no actual prizes!) With such a large team it’s perhaps no surprise that F1 viewers this year haven’t missed a single incident, from Friday practice to Sunday analysis the team have had it covered and even between races with fantastic blogs, a strong Twitter presence and a Twitpic regularity that borders on obsessive fans have never had it so good. BBC F1 commentary team we salute you!
BEST SPONSOR
For me this category was a no-brainer, there is one sponsor that, for me, has made itself indispensable to it’s sport beyond any financial commitment; yes ladies and gentleman this isn’t any old sponsor – this is HiQ FastFit. The BTCC title sponsors are a constant presence on race weekends, from the hundreds of banners and boards to their now infamous stand manned by a flurry of pink! The team go beyond this however with their eagerly contested ‘champagne moment’, ‘Project Pink’ charity work for Breast Cancer and their grid girl competition these guys make the most of every opportunity and even afford fans the chance to enjoy the action for free through regular Twitter competitions, the competition would need Colin Turkington behind the wheel just to catch-up. Congratulations to everyone at HiQ Fastfit – 2009 sponsors of the year!
Check back tomorrow for more winners!
Whilst I’m weighing up people’s suggestions for my first annual motorsport PR awards (not too late to e-mail, comment or Twitter DM me your suggestions for any media spectacles that caught your eye this year!) I thought I’d drop a quick post.
Toyota, who recently announced their immediate withdrawl from of F1 have reaffirmed their commitment to the six teams they currently sponsor in NASCAR. The stock-racing series may not have as big a budget as F1 but many would argue it also lacks the global appeal that the Grand Prix carries. As well as the USA NASCAR broadcasts to Canada, Australia, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and us here in the UK; F1 broadcasts to around 64 countries, naturally attracting a much larger audience share. To be clear I’m not looking to debate the merits of one series over another (I personally think both have their strengths and weaknesses) but I am interested in why Toyota took the decision to ditch one over the other.
In terms of media exposure it could be argued that F1 is more a scatter-gun approach (appeal to lots of different people and hope to attract a large number) whereas NASCAR may be shown in fewer places but the audience it hits are more likely to translate into sales (we already know what a brand-loyal lot NASCAR fans are). In terms of development potential (always cited in F1 as the main reason manufacturers get involved and one of the talking points in the FIA v FOTA budget debate) it’s difficult to determine which offers the more potential, I’d love to hear from any manufacturers/engineers etc as to their thoughts! It’s also difficult to overlook the fact that Toyota teams have significantly better results in NASCAR than they ever managed in F1 which will always play a part.
At this point I’m almost tempted to end with a Harry-Hill style ‘NASCAR or F1, there’s only one way to decide – Fiiiight’ but instead I want to know what you think - Have Toyota made the right decision? Do you think they’ll return to F1 at any point? Should they now pour more resources into NASCAR? As always let me know your thoughts!
I read an interesting article from a Twitter link the other day about how companies should not always listen to customers and when presented with what they thought they wanted (i.e the example given was healthier options at McDonalds ) they find they don’t want it after all. The article (apologies can’t find the link - should have favourite-d it!) explained that it’s better to introduce products then take opinions and it got me thinking – could the same apply to motorsport?
Following Sunday’s amazing F1 spectacle (admittedly more circuit than race) I was craving more on-track action, thankfully the NASCAR Sprint Car series is running until the end of November and is shown on Sky Sports Extra on Sundays and repeated on Five on Monday in Blighty. For those F1 fans struggling to fill the next 131 days and have heard bad things about the American series (all left turns, no action etc) I would suggest using this month to give NASCAR a go - I was pleasantly surprised when I started watching a few seasons ago and don’t quite understand the reputation it has as ‘motorsport marmite’.
Getting back to the point of the post; an hour, a couple of huge crashes and a victory for Jamie McMurray later I logged onto Twitter to see a big debate had been started over the use of restrictor plates. The plates, which limits the power of an engine, is currently used at Daytona and Talladega, site of Sunday’s action. Cars can be restricted from around 750hp to a ‘mere’ 430hp; quite the difference. Critics of the plates argue that they cause the cars to bunch together in ‘packs’ actually making the sport more dangerous and restricting the action; it has also been argued that the effects of restrictor plates could be managed through new aerodynamic and electronic upgrades. From the comments been thrown around Twitter (which admittedly is a small sample) it seems the fans want to see the end of the plates but should NASCAR’s governing body listen? Whilst a test was done around Talladega way back in 2004 no further action has been taken. The plates aren’t in use at the majority of tracks so could the solution lie in dumping the plates and simply adjusting the cars set-up for improved safety? Should the fans be listened to or should NASCAR’s first responsibility be to its drivers, personnel and spectators and doing everything possible to keep them safe? When it comes to unpopular choices do the decision-makers know best or is there power in the people?
I’m a person who likes autumn and winter, I love leaf fights with my little sis, I love Halloween, I love snow, I looove Christmas and I love Christmas shopping even more (freaky I know!) The one thing I don’t love it that the end of October signals the end of the F1 season…
We may already have a new world champion but that’s merely the start of it. This weekend fans will be saying goodbye to BMW, Renault will be waving off Alonso, Ferrari will be saying ciao to Kimi and the teams will be pitting for fuel for the final time (at least for the next 12 months).
Although the season is over there is still plenty to do and this is normally the time that the PR machine goes into overdrive and the sponsors get that little bit extra. There hasn’t been the expected flurry of transfers within the paddock with many teams choosing to wait until the end of the season to announce line-ups – something that’s sure to keep the column inches filled. There are quite a few stories circulating at the moment – not least the future of the British F1 race which seems to be changing daily and the appointment of Jean Todt as FIA president; could the down period be a winter of positive change or discontent? I’m also curious as to what fans get up to during the break? Let me know if you have any cool or wacky plans.
My withdrawl symptoms normally kick in about three weeks after the final race but I’m all ready to counteract them; as well as catching up my friends that have no interest in the sport (although that group is growing smaller as they come round to my way of thinking!) I will also be learning Spanish. I’ve tried before but this time I’ve bought a ‘learn in three months kit’ and I’m determined to have it down before March 2010. I’ll also be keeping the blog going, examining all the latest rumours, gossip and headlines from the motorsport world, especially how the clever folks in the publicity departments manage to keep the press attention up when there’s no racing - stick with me, together we can get through this! ;-)
PS – Don’t forget to check out the articles on www.enterf1.com a great group of writers, a superb editor and a few of them written by yours truly!
Firstly a huge congratulations to Sebastien Loeb; the WRC star secured an amazing sixth championship in the Welsh hills at the weekend and shows no signs of slowing down (although the brakes have been put on a Torro Rosso drive in Abu Dhabi).
Congratulations are also due to Bertrand Baguette and his team Draco Racing who did the double in the Renault WS at the Nurburgring. Both Baguette and Fairuz Fuzy, who claimed second place after capitalising on some fundamental errors by his fellow drivers, will now be looking to follow in the footsteps of Jaime Alguersuari and make the leap to F1. Given that this season has seen four rookies (& Badoer & Liuzzi) and in 2010 three new teams are due to set up shop in the paddock I certainly wouldn’t put it past them. Despite the title of this post I’m not suggesting a win should automatically lead to a guaranteed F1 seat but in publicity terms I’d certainly be tempted to bring in a driver from a lower formula. It not only shows the drivers in the lower formulas that it is possible but it also reinforces the need for these championships and the reasons companies should invest in them (’supporting the stars of tomorrow’ is an ever-popular slogan in sponsorship).
With the problems being faced by A1GP and with championships the world over being faced with financial difficulty I think it’s time for teams to look to the future and give the seats to those who have risen through the ranks, not just bring back faces from the past. I’m not saying the likes of Davidson and Klien don’t deserve another shot at F1 but those achieving success in the lower ranks shouldn’t be ignored. What do you think? and does driver choice ultimately dictate which team you follow and therefore where your merchandise money goes? Would you spend less or miss races if your team had drivers you didn’t want? Or is the question of rookie-v-veteran not bother you as long as the driver proves he can score points when the pressure is on? As always let me know your thoughts!
So has everyone just about recovered from the weekend’s action? Champiooone champiooone was ringing through my head for a good few hours after the stunning drive that saw Jenson Button secure the world championship with one race to go, impressive stuff. There are people that would argue that Jenson is an undeserving champion but I disagree – F1 is a team sport and the team had done a fantastic job to deliver a car that, in the right hands, blew everyone away at the start of the season. Whether it was a case of their rivals making too many mistakes after that is to be debated but a few thing’s are for sure; Brawn will go to Abu Dhabi having done the double, Sau Paulo can celebrate yet another championship decider on their legendary circuit. we have a new world champion and I believe he thoroughly deserves it. Respect also needs to be paid to Rubens Barrichello who, just like fellow Paul-ista Felipe Massa a year ago, was gracious in his defeat and even lent Jenson his private plane so the boy from Frome could celebrate his victory properly.
The other big winner, as I touched upon a few posts ago, is Virgin. Brawn’s main sponsor have enjoyed an estimated $60 million in international TV exposure for the bargain price of just $7m. The company now look likely to continue their partnership into 2010 (although I believe it will now be a least a double figure deal being discussed!) and everyone seems happy.
The Brawn team have also been one of the best in the social media realm – both their drivers tweet regularly as well as the team as a whole, select employees and friends of the drivers. They run regular online competitions via their website and have been the focus of countless Facebook appreciation groups (including my own – Ross Brawn deserves an MBE!) The team have had to sacrifice a lot, it was touching how Ross made constant references to the contribution of employees that had had to be let go at the start of the season, but they are now reaping the rewards.
With potentially 4 world champions in addition to Kubica, Vettel, Massa and Barrichello on the grid next year the competition will be fierce but for now let’s all enjoy Brawn’s victory and I’ll leave the last word with man of the moment – 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button…
Whilst most series (F1, BTCC etc) are drawing to a close, next week will see the start of the 09/10 A1GP series…or will it? I’ve blogged previously about the struggles the series is having to get off the ground and it seems, with only 7 days to lights out, the rumours are persisting.
The series appeared to go into freefall when A1 Grand Prix Operations went into receivership in June owing millions of pounds. The cars and other equipment were held at docks and A1GP management have had to go to court to be taken out of liquidation. All issues were meant to have been resolved by Oct 6th but this hasn’t happened and now TV companies in Oz are reporting that the Gold Coast meeting has been cancelled due to ‘problems with series organisers’. Whether the race goes ahead or not preparations haven’t exactly been ideal; staff have faced a nervous wait and even gone without pay on occasions adding unnecessary pressure on them at a time when getting past the chequered flag first should be their top priority – in contrast getting to the chequered flag at all is the main concern at the moment.
News like this does nothing to reassure sponsors and I fear that even if the race goes ahead we could even be looking at half a season. This is a perfect example of a situation requiring the best in crisis management but, as it stands, it will take more than a skillful PR team to rescue this series…
What do Rock n Roll, Hollywood and NASCAR have in common? Apart from all being American institutions they all also have a hall of fame, or at least they will by tomorrow…yes Wednesday sees the announcement of the five greats who will make it into the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame.
The actual hall will be located in Charlotte USA and will be officially opened May 10th 2010, the big question is who will earn their place inside? According to NASCAR’s website ’The main criteria for nomination and induction: NASCAR accomplishments and contributions to the sport. To be eligible, former drivers must have competed 10 years in NASCAR and be retired from racing for a minimum of three years. Non-drivers must have worked at least 10 years in the industry. (Potential candidates with shorter careers may be considered if there are special circumstances.)’
Whilst NASCAR insiders will draw up the list of potentially 25 nominees the judging panel will consist of, among others, 14 media representatives: Three each from the National Motorsports Press Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Eastern Motorsports Press Association; one each from FOX, Turner Sports, ESPN, MRN and PRN. Entry into the Hall of Fame will ensure a legacy that lasts forever and the decision-making process will not doubt be intense; is it therefore a good idea to have such a strong media presence on the voting panel?
Personally I believe it is. In order to be a true ambassador for a sport and ‘Hall of Fame’-worthy a driver has to first of all be media-friendly – think of all the big names in any sport and you can bet they were never far aware from the headlines; the press attention may not have always been great and the headlines not always pretty but the old adage of ‘no news is good news’ is far from the truth. I’m willing to bet that those who are given one of the hallowed positions will have had another great behind them – a great publicist. What do you think? Is media image a factor or is raw talent the most important; does one get remembered without the other? As always let me know!
Ok I’ll just come out and say it – I have a girly-side. I may have petrol flowing through the veins but my heart beats for all things fashion and therefore I love watching the collections launching in the traditional hotspots around the globe. Each designer picks their space, themes it to enhance the collection, has their own unique guest list and gets to showcase their hard work with the world’s attention focused solely on them…well at least for an hour or two.
Before you think you’ve come to the wrong blog let me explain. Watching the various launches in Paris (via the computer sadly) got me thinking about the car launches in F1 and FOTA’s latest proposed plans to have a simultaneous launch; is this a cost-cut too far or one of the best ideas to come from the teams? Let’s examine it a little further…
At first it seems a good idea, it’ll certainly save the team’s money, it’ll be easier for journalists to compare cars, the photos will look incredible, it will present the united front that F1 desperately needs and it’ll teams a clear and equal deadline to work to; so far so good. When you start to think of the logistics however it gets complicated. For one thing where would the launch take place? Have it Italy – that’s Ferrari-biased, France? Renault, Blighty is Brawn and even neutral Switzerland has Sauber connections. If a venue could be arranged it’s then a case of balancing the event so each team is given equal time and prominence and, given that one of the major issues FOTA has tackled in its short history is a universal budget cut how will the teams cope with all having to spend the same amount on a launch, undoubtedly some will want to create more of a spectacle than others.
I would like to see a simultaneous launch (especially if fans could somehow take part in a competition for a select few to gain access to the event!) but the practicalities could prove to be too big a headache; also a one day launch means fewer days of coverage and that coverage has to be shared between all teams. The organisation will undoubtedly lead to, eerm, ‘heated debate’ and any reporting internal conflict could serve to hurt FOTA’s fragile reputation. What do you think? Do you like the individual launches or do you think one big team spectacular would be best?
PS – If anyone’s reading this from Brazil please help Nico Rosberg – I feel desperately sorry for him =(
(although should probably mention it’s actually a Phillips competition so don’t feel too bad for him lol)
Firstly huge congratulations (and Moonpig cards if I had the addresses) to Colin Turkington for clinching the drivers title in the BTCC championship and Vauxhall for doing the double on their final year in BTCC (for now) and claiming the constructors and team title. Congratulations also to BTCC title-sponsors HiQ Fastfit for their ‘project pink’ campaign in aid of Brest Cancer Care; still waiting to see a pic of Tom Chilton who vowed to turn his trademark spikes pink during the weekend! If you haven’t made a donation at one of the track events this year it’s not too late – here’s the link for the just giving site – http://www.justgiving.com/hiqprojectpink/ Best of luck raising the total guys!
Moving on and an issue that’s been on my mind for quite a while…I used to be an avid reader of various Motorsports magazines, they were great for in-depth features, quirky interviews and of course off-track gossip; however times change.Now when I want news I click the Twitter ’ovi’ on my phone (Nokia plug!) and have instant access to the latest news without having to wait a month or spend time trawling the internet, I will only read through the stories if the headline grabs my attention and it doesn’t cost me a penny; am I alone in this?
Apparently not, more and more people are accessing information online, sales of newspapers and magazines have been slowly decreasing for months and if you’re a journalist I imagine it would be a worrying time…or would it? Those in the magazine business know they have to adapt and most are doing well at it. Magazines have always made the bulk of their money through advertising and this could still be the case with banner ads etc on websites, expenses would be at a minimum (no printing costs or publishers to deal with) and far from ‘dumbing down the news’ as several critics have claimed journos will have to fight harder to ensure they draw readers in (instead of fighting with half a dozen rivals on the newsstands, you’re against hundreds of worldwide publications often with nothing more than a headline and a first sentence to grab attention!)
Reputation has always been important to a publications success and the same rule applies online; more so in fact with many sceptical of stories online from names they don’t recognise. Of course there will always be those that will prefer to have paper copies they can flick through at their own convenience and one of the things I always liked about the magazines is that there’d be one story that drew me in but the other articles, columns and snippets in the magazines gave them value and I think that’s something that’s still hard to replicate successfully online.
What do you think? Has paper had its day, is online off-putting or should publications be looking to do both to hold your interest? As always let me know your thoughts!
